1750-1923
These synopses are part of the BOONE "picture" -- the BOONE Tree. Specifically they reflect that portion of the BOONE Tree for the BOONEs that remained in PA when Squire BOONE, Sr. (father of THE Daniel BOONE) & family migrated to VA and beyond. That migration was in 1750. Per the 1790 Census there were 12 BOONE households in Berks County, (and one in Philadelphia County).
I'd like to hear of others who have abstracted BOONE Wills or have any other documented BOONE information. (or any documented information for any of the connected surnames). Michael Milton Mason
Looking at the BOONE Wills & Administrations available from the Berks County Orphans Court 1750-1923 (surnames have been capitalized by me)....
* indicates the Wills & Administrations I possess, purchased directly from Berks Co. Orphans' Court.
** indicates those sent to me by Justine Walter.
***Administrations only (provide little in the way of genealogical information).
The companion file to this BOON0001.TXT, BOON0002.TXT, also located in the Will/Estate Records section of the Berks County Archives (USGenWeb, PA), is a Name Index for these Synopses.
| NAME | YEAR | VOLUME: PAGE |
| *George IV | 1753 | 1:6 |
| *Benjamin | 1762 | 1;124 |
| **William | 1771 | 2:99 |
| ***James, Jr. | 1771 | 3:64 |
| ***John, Sr. | 1773 | 3:96 |
| ***Joseph | 1776 | 3:156 |
| **James, Sr. | 1785 | B:126; 3:57 |
| **John | 185 | B:128; 3:59 |
| **Jeremiah | 1787 | B:195; 3:373 |
| ***Judah | 1787 | 4:92 |
| *Anne | 1790 | 3:135 |
| Isaac | 1794 | 5:231 |
| *Isaac | 1795 | ? |
| ***Sarah | 1796 | 5:73 |
| *James Jr. | 1803 | B:378; 3:252 |
| *Hugh | 1805 | 4:324 |
| **Abraham | 1819 | D:220; 5:358 |
| ***Ann | 1823 | 9:152 |
| ***James | 1823 | 9:107 |
| ***Moses | 1823 | 9:151 |
| ***/**Thomas | 1823 | 9:157 |
| *George | 1824 | D:423; 5:436 |
| ***Margaret | 1825 | 9:314 |
| */***Lincoln | 1827 | 10:136 |
| ***Joseph | 1829 | 11:7 |
| *Frances | 1833 | 7:111 |
| ***Edward | 1833 | 11:359 |
| ***John | 1835 | 12:126 |
| ***Magdalena | 1849 | 18:64 |
| ***Judah | 1854 | 20:229 |
| ***John | 1858 | 22:9 |
| ***George | 1860 | 22:259 |
| ***George W. | 1863 | 22:285 |
| *Sarah | 1873 | 12:561 |
| ***Susan | 1880 | 29:92 |
| *Richard | 1881 | 14:395 |
| ***James | 1881 | 29:309 |
| */*** | 1883 | 30:302 |
| *Anna Eliza | 1884 | 15:197 |
| */***William | 1884 | 31:28 |
| ***Richard | 1884 | 31:145 |
| ***Charles L. | 1891 | 35:166 |
| */***Thomas | 1894 | 38:142 |
| *Annie | 1895 | 18:486 |
| *Samuel S. | 1908 | 24:544 |
| ***James E. H. | 1908 | 47:335 |
| ***Amos H. | 1910 | 49:61 |
| *Annie | 1911 | 26:305 |
| *Samuel G. | 1923 | #8361 |
Following my usual pattern, material in [braces] is original, taken from elsewhere in the same document; material in {braces} is material I've introduced; all surnames have been capitalized by me.
George referred to: a wife [given & bequeathed unto], {unnamed}; 4 sons [given & bequeathed unto; appointed executors]: William, Hezekiah, Josiah & Jeremiah; 3 daughters [given & bequeathed unto]: Mary, Deborah, Dinah; a daughter [deceased], Hannah {HUGHES--see following}; 2 grandchildren [given & bequeathed unto]: George & Jane HUGHES [children of daughter Hannah deceased].
Made: 18 1mo 1753
Proved: ?
Witnesses: Joseph BOONE, John HUGHES, Edward DRURY, and Edward HUGHES
Register: ?
Benjamin referred to: a wife [given & bequeathed to], Susannah; 3 sons [given & bequeathed to; appointed executors]: Benjamin, Samuel [the youngest] & James; a son ["Also I give to"], John [the eldest], {small bequeath; perhaps Susannah's stepson, perhaps non-Quaker?}; a daughter [not yet age 15--bequeathed to], Dinah; a Negroeman [freed & allotted two acres on said son Samuel's land], Dick.
Made: 5 Jan 1762
Proved: ?
Witnesses: Thomas & Sarah WAREN
Register: ?
William referred to: a wife [given to], {unnamed}; 2 daughters [given to], Abigail [wife of Adin PANCOAST] & Mary [not yet age 20]; 3? sons [all given to-- only 1 named], Mordecai [eldest-- "more than either of the Others"], {2? others}; 1 brother [appointed executor-- along with said son Mordecai], Jeremiah.
Made: 23 5mo 1768
Proved: 8 Dec 1771?
Inventory: 1 Jan 1772
Witnesses: Edward & George HUGHES
Deputy Register: James READ
James referred to: a wife [given & bequeathed unto], Ann; "children now living": 2 sons [given & bequeathed unto; appointed executors]: James & Joshua; 2 sons [given & bequeathed unto]: Judah & Moses - {Judah is not mentioned in wife Annes's 1790 Will, nor in James Jr's. 1803 Will}; 1 son [deceased], John; {James Jr. (1803 Will) bequeathed to his nephew, son of brother John}; 4 daughters [given & bequeathed unto]: Anne LINCOLN, Mary LEE, Martha HUGHES & Rachel WILCACKSON (of these, wife Anne only bequeathed to one, Anne LINCOLN; she also bequeathed to daughters Eleanor SUPPLEE & Hannah TEA}; 3 sons-in-law {mentioned}: Abraham LINCOLN, George HUGHES, and Thomas LEE; a daughter-in-law [given & bequeathed unto], Sophia BIDDLE [said son John deceased "being her former husband"]; a grandson [given & devise to; not yet age 21], John [eldest son of said son Moses]; 2 grandchildren [given & bequeathed unto]: James & Susannah [children of said son John deceased; both not yet age 21]; a granddaughter [given & bequeathed unto; not yet age 21], Hannah, {daughter of ?); a creditor [arranged for], Nicholas WALN.
Made: 12 Jul 1785
Proved: 17 Sept 1785
Witnesses: John BOONE, Isaac LEVAN, and Thomas CHERINGTON
Register: Henry CHRIST
John referred to: a nephew [debtor-- bond dated 12 Mar 1785], Judah; a nephew [given & bequeathed unto]: Moses; 2 nephews [given & bequeathed unto; appointed executors]: James & Joshua; 4 {nieces} [given & bequeathed unto]: Martha HUGHES (wife of George HUGHES), Rachel WILLCOCKSON (wife of William WILLCOCKSON), Anne LINCOLN (wife of Abraham LINCOLN), Mary LEE (wife of Thomas LEE); a former debtor [given & bequeathed unto-- "i.e., acquitted of said interest" of bond dated 1 June 1767], Isaiah WILLITS; a former debtor [acquitted & forever dischsarged from-- "both Principal and Interest" of bond dated 1 May 1782], said son Joshua; a debtor [bond dated 11 Mar 1776], William SCHOLFIELD; a debtor [bond dated 20 Oct 1773], Samuel BOONE blacksmith; a debtor [bond dated 20 Oct 1773], Isaiah BOONE; a debtor [bond dated 24 June 1784], William HUGHES; a creditor ["a demand against me"], "sheriff of Frederick County in Maryland" a debtor [bond "for a certain Sum... also what Book-Debt"-- both "utterly Void" if he should "Discharge that Debt due to the said sheriff], "Countryman" Anthony HOLMEAD
Made: 5 Oct 1785
Proved: 22 Oct 1785
Witnesses: Daniel SCHNEIDER, Jonathan MEE, and Thomas CHERINGTON
Register: Henry CHRIST
Jeremiah referred to: a sister [bequeathed the bond against John ALBRIGHT], Dinah WILLIAMS; a sister-in-law [bequeathed to], Sarah BOONE (widow of brother William); friend/relative? [bequeathed to for the care of Abigail PANCOST or her children]; Isaac LEE, friend/relative? [bequeathed to], Mary LEE (w/o Isaac LEE); a nephew [bequeathed to], George BOONE (s/o brother Josiah); a brother [bequeathed to], Hezekiah; a nephew [bequeathed to], Solomon COLES (s/o sister Dinah); a nephew [bequeathed to], George HUGHES (s/o sister Hannah; the Exeter Preparative Meeting [bequeathed to]; a nephew [bequeathed land in Northumberland Co. purchased of John MURRY]; Jeremiah (s/o brother William); a nephew [bequeathed to], Abnar WILLIAMS (s/o said sister Dinah); the purchaser of Jeremiah's Chester Co. land [mentioned], Peter HILBESH; 5 nephews [bequeathed to]: William, George, Thomas, Jeremiah & Hezekiah (sons of said brother William-- 3 of them, George, Thomas & Jeremiah, appointed executors).
Made: 20 2mo 1787
Proved: 30 Mar 1787
Witnesses: Thomas LEE and Thomas CHERINGTON
Register: Henry CHRIST
Anne referred to: a husband [deceased], James BOONE, Sr.; a nephew [bequeathed to], Amos GRIFFITH; 3 daughters [bequeathed to]: Anne LINCOLN (wife of Abraham LINCOLN), Eleanor SUPPLEE (wife of Jonathan SUPPLEE), Hannah TEA (wife of Richard TEA, Jr.)-- Anne is identified in James Jr's 1803 will as a sister {perhaps the others were deceased by that time}; a son [bequeathed to], James BOONE, Jr.; a son [bequeathed to & appointed executor], Joshua-- identified in James Jr's 1803 will as a brother; a son [apparently deceased], Moses--identified in James Jr's 1803 will as a brother {another son, John, is identified in James Jr's 1803 will as a brother}; a daughter-in-law [bequeathed to], Sarah BOONE (wife of Moses BOONE); 2+ grandchildren [bequeathed to]: Elizabeth, Judah... (those children of Moses & Sarah not yet age 21, born after their son John); a niece [bequeathed to], Mary EVANS; a nephew [bequeathed to], Evan GRIFFITH; a brother [bequeathed to], Joseph GRIFFITH
Made: 12 Jun 1790
Proved: 2 Jul 1790
Witnesses: Benjamin SCHNEIDER, Daniel SCHNEIDER, and James BOONE
Register: John CHRIST
Isaac referred to: a wife [bequeathed to], Sarah; ? grandsons [bequeathed to]: not named (children, under age 21, of son-in-law Michael & daughter Mary KERN; a nephew [bequeathed to], Owen BOONE (son of Hugh BOONE); friend(?) [bequeathed to], Charles COLES(?); friends(?) [appointed executors], Hugh BOONE & Thomas CHERINGTON
Made: 23 Jun 1794
Proved: ?
Witnesses: Henry HINE, Mordecai LEE, Jr., and James BOONE
Register: ?
James referred to: a father [deceased], James Sr.; a brother [bequeathed to & appointed executor], Joshua; a brother [bequeathed to], Moses; a nephew [bequeathed to], James (son of brother John); a sister [bequeathed to], Ann LINCOLN; a creditor [bequeathed to], George HUGHES
Made: 22 Jan 1795
Proved: 11 Nov 1795
Witnesses: Thomas CHERINGTON, Thomas HUGHES & Samuel HUGHES, Jr.
Register: ?
Hugh referred to: a wife [bequeathed to], Frances; 4 sons [bequeathed to]: Mordecai, Owen, William & Isaac; [son Mordecai & friend Thomas CHERINGTON appointed executors]; 1 son [deceased], David (bequeathed to: widow Ann & 5 children: Elizabeth, Edward, Hugh, James, Hannah); 2 daughters [bequeathed to], Hannah (wife of Ezekial EVANS) & Elizabeth (wife of Peter JONES); a stepdaughter [bequeathed to], Frances MILLARD; 2 grandchildren [bequeathed to], William & Mary PATTERSON (children of daughter Mary, deceased); a grandaughter [bequeathed to], Sarah RHOADS (wife of George RHOADS).
Made: 14 Jun 1805
Proved: 11 Nov 1805
Witnesses: Samuel RHOADS, Samuel MILLARD, and John DETURK, Jr.
Register: ? RAILEY
Abraham referred to: a father [bequeathed to & appointed executor], Joseph BOONE; a wife [bequeathed to], Susanna; 4 children [bequeathed to]: Sarah, Joseph, Jacob & John; a 1st wife [mentioned].
Made: 24 Mar 1819
Proved: 2 Apr 1819
Witnesses: Thomas LINCOLN and Frederick GUDTHART
Register: Daniel RHOADS
Assigned administrators: Lincoln & Jeremiah BOONE of Amity Township
Sealed: 1 Dec 1823
Witnesses: George KLINE and David LUDWIG
Register: Peter AURAND
George referred to: a wife [bequeathed to], Margaret; 2 sons [bequeathed to]: William (w/ wife Mary) & George, Jr.; 8 daughters [bequeathed to]: Sarah (w/ husband William GHEERHART), Ann (w/ husband Daniel BERTOLET, Julian LYNCOLN (husband deceased), Elizabeth (w/[2nd] husband Andrew TAYLER), Harriet (w/ husband Benjamin KLEIN), Margaret (w/ husband Jonathan EVANS), Rachel, Mary (w/ husband William RUNION); [son George & sons-in-law Daniel BERTOLET & Andrew TAYLER appointed executors]; 3 grandchildren [bequeathed to]: George W. (son of son William & daughter-in-law Mary), and George T. & Annie LEONARD (children of daughter Elizabeth & son-in-law Thomas LEONARD deceased); 5 grandchildren [bequeathed to]: Franklin, Daniel, Rachel, Margaret, & Harriet (children, all under age 21, of son Charles deceased)
Made: 13 Dec 1823
Proved: 5 Aug 1824
Witnesses: John FRITZ and John HOFF
Register: Daniel RHOADS
Assigned administrator: Richard BOONE of Tulpehocken Township
Sealed: 3 Feb 1827
Witnesses:said Richard BOONE; George KLINE & David LUDWIG of Amity Township
Register: Daniel RHOADS
Frances referred to: a daughter [bequeathed to], Frances (wife of John BRAUER); 2 grandchildren [bequeathed to]: Matilda & Jeremiah (children of son-in-law John & Frances BRAUER); a friend [appointed executor], John BANNAN
Made: 26 Apr 1824
Proved: 14 Aug 1833
Witnesses: Abraham BROUER (deceased by 1833--Samuel BEARD testifying, 14 Aug 1833), Daniel YOCUM
Deputy Register: Jeremiah SNYDER
Sarah referred to: a friend [bequeathed to & appointed executor], James LEE (of Exeter Township); a brother [mentioned 2X-- see below], Samuel BOONE, Sr.; a nephew [bequeathed to], Samuel BOONE, Jr. (son of said brother Samuel Sr.); a sister [mentioned], Hannah G. LEE (wife of Josiah LEE); ? grandchildren [bequeathed to], unnamed (children of sister's husband Josiah & Hannah G. LEE his wife; ? grandchildren [bequeathed to], unnamed (children of brother James deceased); ? grandchildren [bequeathed to], unnamed (children of said brother Samuel Sr.; ? grandchildren [bequeathed to], unnamed (children of brother Isaac of Ohio)
Made: 23 2mo 1871
Proved: 4 Feb 1873
Witnesses: Moses BOONE & Charles LEE
Deputy Register: H. S. GETZ
Richard referred to: a sister [bequeathed to], Mary Ann MATTHIAS (of Norristown, Montgomery County, PA); a niece [appointed executor], Annie MATTHIAS (daughter of said sister Mary Ann MATTHIAS).
Made: 24 Nov 1874
Proved: 29 Sept 1881 (Richard)
Witnesses: George W. BRUCKMAN & Nicholas JONES
Register: S. S. KINDT
daughter of Thomas BOONE, late of Amity Township, Berks County, PA
Administrator replacement: Annie MATTHIAS, daughter of said Mary A. MATTHIAS
Sealed: 6 Feb 1883
Witness: A. JACOBS
Register: ?
Anna Eliza referred to: a husband [bequeathed to & appointed executor], John L. BOONE.
Made: 8 Mar 1881
Proved: 18 Oct 1884
Witnesses: Frances P. WILLITZ and Hanry S. MACHEMER
Register: J. M. SHOLLENBERGER
Administrator, James M. HIGH
Date of Court Order: 23 Feb 1884
Judge, Orphans Court of Berks County, Honorable H.H. SWARTZ
Advertised in: Berks & Schulkill Journal (English) and Reading Adler (German)
Date of Public Sale: 22 Mar 1884
Exeter Township Land: That bounded by lands of James LEE, Daniel LEE, Samuel S. RHOADS and Augustus YOUNG
Purchaser: Benjamin G. DETURK
Decedent died: 13 Feb 1894
Administrator accepted by: Annie BOONE
Sealed:13 Jul 1894
Inventory: 25 Jul 1894
Register: William SHAFFUER
Estate appraised by: Francis McGURGAN & Elmer HAAG
Notary Public: P. A. BUSHONG
Annie referred to: a daughter [bequeathed to], Mary ("Sister Mary of Notre Dame Order"); a son [bequeathed to & appointes executor], Edward; a daughter [bequeathed to], Emma
Made: 14 Aug 1894
Proved: 8 Jan 1895
Witnesses: Edward S. KREMP & P.A. BUSHONG
Register: William SHAFFUER
Deputy Register: H. S. STRUNN
Samuel referred to: a friend/relative? [bequeathed to], Harry HELFRICH; a friend/relative? [bequeathed "his old family bible"], Frederick BOONE; the 2nd Reformed Church of Reading [bequeathed to] his housekeeper [bequeathed to], Mrs. Annie RICE; a niece [bequeathed to], Sallie G. BOONE (d/o brother James deceased); the Reading Trust Co. [bequeathed to & appointed executor], in trust to brother Amos S. BOONE, or if deceased, to his children: Frederick, Samuel, William, Daniel, Huysinga]; 3 nieces/nephews [bequeathed to]: Charles HELFRICH, Harry HELFRICH, Annie (HELFRICH) REEDER-- children of sister Sallie S. HELFRICH deceased; 4 nieces/nephews [bequeathed to]: Daniel LINDERMAN, Rosie HAHN, Mary HITNER, and Edward LINDERMAN-- children of sister Mary Ann LINDERMAN deceased
Made: 22 Oct 1908
Proved: ?
Witnesses: S. R. KAUFMAY and C. K. KISTLER, M.D.
Register: ?
Annie referred to: the Swartz(wald)? Cemetery Association of Exeter Twp.[bequeathed to for the keeping of her lot]; 2 sisters [bequeathed to]: Sarah HUFFMAN & Regina RITZ; a brother [bequeathed to], Hariam G. BOONE; a friend [appointed executor], Edwin BOONE
Made: 11 Aug 1904
Codicil: 13 Apr 1909
Codicil: 22 Apr 1909
Witnesses: J. Wilmer FISHER and (Heruce T. FUNCK)?
Register: ?
[Samuel also had as real estate 707 N. 11th]
Samuel referred to: a wife [bequeathed to & appointed executor], Emma M.; 5 daughters [bequeathed to ]: Ada Minerva (wife of Harry A. GABLE), Lotta Alberta (wife of Wm. D. FELIX); Laura May (wife of Jefferson RHOADS)[Jefferson was also appointed executor], Miss Grace Estella [Grace E. JACOBS of 41 N. 4th St. by 14 May 1923], Annetta Irene (wife of Horton P. ERMOLD).
Made: 27 Feb 1913
Proved: 14 May 1923
Witnesses: R. J. DAVIS (of 712 N. 5th, Reading) and Harry S. FICHTHORN (of 763 N. 11th, Reading)
Deputy Register: N. M. LOOSE
Register: Orson N. RITZMAN
Updated 18 Oct 1997
(source: the Berks Co. Orphans' Court, Reading, PA--ordered directly and via Justine Walter.
Copyright © 1997 by Michael Milton Mason.
Last Modified